Other Definitions
thermal printer (dict)
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Thermal PrinterDirect thermal printers create an image by selectively heating coated paper when the paper passes over the thermal print head. The coating turns black in the areas where it is heated, creating the image. More recently, two-color direct thermal printers have been produced, which allow printing of both red and black by heating to different temperatures. Direct thermal printers are increasingly replacing the dot matrix printer for printing cash register receipts, both because of the higher print speed and substantially quieter operation. Until about 2000, most fax machines used direct thermal printing, though now only the cheapest models use it, the rest having switched to either thermal wax transfer, laser, or ink jet printing to allow plain-paper printouts. Direct thermal paper suffers from sensitivity to heat, abrasion (the coating can be fragile), friction (which can cause heat, thus darkening the paper), light (causing it to fade), and water.
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